Imagine coming home to find your roof badly damaged, your basement filled with water or your business forced to close after a fire. In the hours and days that follow, you're focused on protecting your family, preventing further damage and getting your property repaired as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, those stressful circumstances can also create opportunities for unscrupulous contractors to pressure property owners into signing assignment of benefits agreements that may not be in their best interest.

An assignment of benefits agreement is a contract that can transfer certain rights related to your insurance claim to a contractor or other third party, allowing them to communicate with your insurer and, in some cases, seek payment directly. Before signing, make sure you understand exactly what rights you are giving up, as it may reduce your control over how your claim is handled and how repairs are managed.

Assignment of benefit scams are on the rise in New York

While New York has not experienced the same volume of assignment of benefits schemes seen in states like Florida, consumers should be aware........

© The Leader